JNF-The-Working-Class-Struggle-of-Half-a-Century

of the concession granted to her sister colonies is inconceivable. Rugged
insularity will moreover sooner or later be tampered by a growing
community of interests which will eventually compel a centrality acceptable
to all constituent sectors of future West Indian Federation...
Strong Man of the Leewards
Rawle stormed, The varied brands of non-sense that have been circulated
concerning the Closer Union Commission Report include allegations
that the original communique sent out by Dominica announcing
acceptance of the report by Dominica was unauthorized: that it
amounted to a “climb down” from the decisions of the Dominica Conference;
and that it was tactless to proclaim acquiescence before consulting
the other Islands concerned.
What are the facts? The Dominica Conference set the objective
to be attained, viz, a self-governing Federation consisting of Trinidad,
Barbados, the Windward and Leeward Islands, with Jamaica and British
Guiana to be included at option. It was well understood by every
member of the conference that this summit could be reached by progressive
stages.
In the words of the courageous champion of the poor and the
oppressed, the Trinidad delegate, Captain A. A. Cipriani, our duty at
the Conference was to “map out the path for the boys and girls of today
who will be men and women of tomorrow and who must carry on; to
pave their way and ask them to follow, and not flinch or turn back if the
way be long or the road be weary.”
The Conference envisaged no shortcut to Dominion Status. It
demanded and has obtained an early beginning of the education of the
people for greater responsibilities. There has been no statistical deviation
of the march towards the ultimate destination. The acceptance decision
was made by and the original and subsequent broadcast were
sent out at the instance of the Executive Committee of the Dominica
branch of the West Indian National League to whom authority to take
the necessary action on the Report had been delegated by the rank and
file of our Association. The most influential supporters of the constitu-
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